Casual Imperative (Tu)
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use the 'Tu' imperative to give direct, casual commands to friends, family, or children by using the verb root.
- For most verbs, use the root form: 'Eat' = 'Kha' (ખા).
- For negative commands, add 'ma' before the verb: 'Don't eat' = 'Ma kha' (મા ખા).
- Always use this only with people you address as 'Tu' (close friends/family).
Casual Imperative Formation
| Infinitive | Root | Affirmative | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Khavu
|
Kha
|
Kha
|
Ma kha
|
|
Besvu
|
Bes
|
Bes
|
Ma bes
|
|
Aavvu
|
Aav
|
Aav
|
Ma aav
|
|
Javu
|
Ja
|
Ja
|
Ma ja
|
|
Karvu
|
Kar
|
Kar
|
Ma kar
|
|
Bolvu
|
Bol
|
Bol
|
Ma bol
|
Meanings
The casual imperative is used to issue direct commands or requests to someone with whom you have an intimate or informal relationship.
Direct Command
Giving an order to a close friend or child.
“પાણી પી. (Pani pi. - Drink water.)”
“પુસ્તક વાંચ. (Pustak vaanch. - Read the book.)”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
Root
|
Aav (Come)
|
|
Negative
|
Ma + Root
|
Ma aav (Don't come)
|
|
Emphasis
|
Root + j
|
Aavj (Do come!)
|
|
Polite (Contrast)
|
Root + o
|
Aavo (Please come)
|
|
Plural (Contrast)
|
Root + o
|
Aavo (Come - group)
|
|
Future (Contrast)
|
Root + she
|
Aavshe (Will come)
|
Espectro de formalidade
જમો (Jam-o) (Dinner time)
જમો (Jamo) (Dinner time)
ખા (Kha) (Dinner time)
ખાને (Khane) (Dinner time)
The Tu Imperative Web
Actions
- Kha Eat
- Bes Sit
Negations
- Ma kha Don't eat
- Ma bes Don't sit
Exemplos por nível
અહીં આવ.
Come here.
પાણી પી.
Drink water.
પુસ્તક વાંચ.
Read the book.
મા જા.
Don't go.
ઝડપથી દોડ.
Run fast.
મા રડ.
Don't cry.
ચૂપ રહે.
Stay quiet.
આ લે.
Take this.
થોડી વાર રાહ જો.
Wait for a while.
મા ખોટું બોલ.
Don't lie.
તારું કામ કર.
Do your work.
આજે જલ્દી આવ.
Come early today.
બહુ વિચાર મા કર.
Don't think too much.
મને સત્ય કહે.
Tell me the truth.
આ વાત ભૂલી જા.
Forget this matter.
તારી મહેનત ચાલુ રાખ.
Keep up your hard work.
આ તક ગુમાવીશ મા.
Don't lose this opportunity.
તારા સપના પૂરા કર.
Fulfill your dreams.
આજે જ નિર્ણય લે.
Make a decision today.
મા ડર, આગળ વધ.
Don't fear, move forward.
જીવનને પૂરેપૂરું જીવ.
Live life to the fullest.
મા અટકી જા, પ્રયત્ન કર.
Don't stop, keep trying.
સત્યનો માર્ગ પકડ.
Hold onto the path of truth.
તારી કળાને નિખાર.
Refine your art.
Fácil de confundir
Learners often use the formal -o ending for everyone.
Learners use the infinitive as a command.
Learners confuse command with future prediction.
Erros comuns
Khao
Kha
Tu kha
Kha
Khavu
Kha
Ma khao
Ma kha
Besvu
Bes
Ma besvu
Ma bes
Aavo
Aav
Ma aavo
Ma aav
Tu aavvu
Tu aav
Aav ne
Aav
Aavjo
Aav
Ma karvu
Ma kar
Tu kar
Kar
Padrões de frases
___ (Verb root)!
Ma ___ (Verb root)!
___ (Verb root) અને ___ (Verb root)!
મા ___ (Verb root), ___ (Verb root)!
Real World Usage
Aav jaldi!
Photo muk!
Dada kar.
Kha!
Chal!
Jaldi laav.
Drop the subject
Social context
Emphasis
Intimacy
Smart Tips
Use the root form to show you are close.
Use 'Ma' before the root.
Default to formal if you don't know the person well.
Add 'j' to the root.
Pronúncia
Root stress
Gujarati is syllable-timed; keep the root short and crisp.
Command
Aav! ↘
Falling intonation shows authority.
Memorize
Mnemônico
Root is the truth, 'Ma' is the stop sign.
Associação visual
Imagine a friend holding a root vegetable (the verb root). If you want them to stop, put a big 'Ma' (like a stop sign) in front of them.
Rhyme
Root for the friend, Ma for the end.
Story
You are at a party with your best friend. You tell them 'Kha' (Eat) the snacks. Then you see them reaching for something bad, so you say 'Ma kha' (Don't eat). It's that simple.
Word Web
Desafio
Write down 5 things you want to tell your best friend to do today using only the root form.
Notas culturais
The 'Tu' form is deeply tied to the family structure. Using it with elders is a sign of disrespect.
Derived from Sanskrit imperative forms, simplified over centuries.
Iniciadores de conversa
તારે શું ખાવું છે? (What do you want to eat?)
અહીં બેસ. (Sit here.)
આ લે, તારા માટે. (Take this, for you.)
મા જા, અહીં રહે. (Don't go, stay here.)
Temas para diário
Erros comuns
Test Yourself
___ (Eat)!
Find and fix the mistake:
Ma khao.
Choose the command.
Arrange the words in the correct order:
All words placed
Click words above to build the sentence
Don't go.
Answer starts with: a...
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
Bolvu -> ?
Friend: 'I am hungry.' You: '___.'
Score: /8
Exercicios praticos
8 exercises___ (Eat)!
Find and fix the mistake:
Ma khao.
Choose the command.
Aav / ahi
Don't go.
Besvu -> ?
Bolvu -> ?
Friend: 'I am hungry.' You: '___.'
Score: /8
Perguntas frequentes (8)
No, absolutely not. Use the formal 'Tame' form.
Remove the -vu from the infinitive.
Yes, it is very rude.
No, use the formal form for plural.
Because it is used with the pronoun 'Tu'.
No, it is gender-neutral.
Use the formal 'Tame' form instead.
Yes, in informal texts and social media.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Tú command
Spanish uses specific conjugations, Gujarati uses the root.
Tu imperative
French drops the -s in some cases, Gujarati is root-based.
Du imperative
German adds an -e sometimes, Gujarati is strictly root.
Verb stem
Japanese is agglutinative, Gujarati is inflectional.
Imperative form
Arabic is gendered, Gujarati is not.
Verb root
Chinese has no conjugation, Gujarati has other forms.
